Originally Posted by
cath829
I would like to thank all of you for coming; your support is greatly appreciated. I'd especially like to thank my wife Melissa for letting me run for office and for all of her help. I also would like to thank my daughter Anna for inspiring me to help change Lackawanna for future generations. Thank you to the Republican Party for their endorsement and support. Thank you, Alice & Jimmy Gordon for all of their help. Thank you to Mike & Patti Bryniarski for your help with this campaign. I would also like to give special thank you to Catherine for her insight and advice on the workings up at city hall.
I am here today living the dream of my father who once wanted to run for councilman in this city. My dad always told me about honesty and integrity and to always stand up for what is right and to treat people the same way you would want to be treated.
As the great republican president Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, "A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both." When you have one party rule for far too long in this great city, you end up with a city with no checks and balances. A party that takes care of its own instead of the need of the city’s people. My dad, God rest his soul, told me not to make promises that you cannot keep. Now I believe in his words but these are the promises I will always keep. I promise to always tell the truth and get the answers you the people demand. I promise I will always do what is right and not be swayed by politics. I promise I will stand like a rock in the face of adversity. I understand that this position requires plans. As Daniel Burham once said….”Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work. I will work hard for the people of this ward.
I will always ask questions about the way we, as a city, conduct our business.
It's time ……..Time for a new face in Lackawanna
I believe we need more open government and accountability in Lackawanna. When elected, I will try to make the following changes to the city charter: A budget hearing must be mandatory and must be held before the actual budget vote. I also believe we the people deserve this information. In this change, I will also make mandatory that the budget information is available free of charge and available online so that all citizens are able to view it. After all, this is our city, not a piggy bank to raid for those who now hold office. That being said, the lack of accountability in this city is appalling. I propose that the city itemize everything in the budget right down to the last nail and bolt. Checks to be paid out must be authorized by more than one person and money transfers must be approved only after receiving all the proper information. “I don't know” is not a satisfactory answer when a council member asks a question about money. Either you give the answer or maybe look for a new job.
It's time ........ Time for open government and accountability in Lackawanna.
I am sick and tired of our youth not having the services they rightfully deserve. I am appalled by the conditions our children face in some of our playgrounds. This is not an image to show to people. That image says that we do not care about our children. In a city with a budget of 22.9 million dollars only 30,000 dollars goes toward funding playgrounds that breaks down to 7500 dollars per ward. If you divide up between the many playgrounds in each ward you would be lucky to get 900 dollars for each one. I plan to increase the funding for our playgrounds and establish a Lackawanna Playground Commission, which will give our parents and children input on what they would like to see and then implement their ideas promptly. I believe that we, as a community in the past have failed our children by not doing enough to ensure that they have programs to keep them occupied and out of trouble. I do believe we can have great programs and even summer camps for our children and a youth center to go along with it. Other communities have programs, why can't we? I am sure a lot of people will say that we do not have the money and this is a mistake. In the words of one of my favorite presidents Theodore Roosevelt "The only man that makes a mistake is one who never does anything."
It's time........ Time to put our children first in Lackawanna
Growing up in Lackawanna I was always taught to respect my elders and give them a helping hand when needed. The city already has a lot in place for our seniors but more can be done. More progressive programs at the senior center to help keep them active are needed. I would like to have programs such as meet the pharmacist, meet the doctor, blood pressure and diabetic screening. An exercise and massage therapist and a police liaison available on certain days to help our seniors live a healthy, worry free life.
It's time ........Time to improve the quality of life for our seniors in Lackawanna.
We have a need in Lackawanna to help our business community. In the 3rd ward there are many vacant stores. Abbott Road Plaza is not as vibrant as it once was. I would like to use Southgate Plaza as a model for what our plaza should be like. I believe the city needs to take a more aggressive, proactive approach in accomplishing this goal. I propose that we form an Abbott Road Plaza Business Organization to consist of the Director of Development, Third Ward council member, plaza management and the businesses that are there. We need to offer businesses tax incentives and grants to locate here and make sure that management lives up to these expectations. I propose that we make a 5% business tax cut. Times are hard right now and we need to make sure our existing businesses can weather the current economic crisis. I also have in mind a radical aggressive pro business plan to move our city into the future. There are obstacles to overcome, but as Henry Ford once said "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eye off your goal."
It's time……..Time for a better business program in Lackawanna
As our city grows, older certain areas of our city are becoming blighted. In the 3rd ward we do not receive any improvement grants from the city. I propose that the city aggressively work with the grant writers to seek grants within the 3rd ward area. We need to assert these grants aggressively so all can take part and improve our city's image. I believe a lot of our problems in this area are too many chiefs, not enough Indians, so to speak.
I think we need to streamline our inspection offices and make sure they follow the rules to the letter and that the buck stops with the head of this department, not anyone else.
If we show people we will aggressively enforce codes they will repair their properties. I will focus on cleaning up the area around our main tourist attraction, the Basilica. I propose that we set aside 100 grand per year for the next 5 years for a Ridge Rd. beautification project. I believe our citizens should have input in this idea also.
It's time ........Time to clean up Lackawanna
I know this plan is aggressive and I know a lot of people are afraid of change. The world hates change but yet it is the only thing that has brought forth progress. After 100 years of the same thing, change in Lackawanna will be a great occurrence. It is now the time for putting people first and it is now time for a non political person, one with common sense, new clean ideas and the aspiration to step forward and return our city to where it rightfully belongs… to it's people and not the political puppets that have held the City back for years. I will not be a puppet on a string!
I plan to institute a line item for my salary as Third Ward Council Member to improve this ward for the children who have been neglected for many, many years.
There is a saying I heard recently and I would like to share it with you. Instead of giving a politician a key to the city, it might be better to change the locks!! I say. …Let’s lock out the incumbents who have not moved the city in a progressive manner and go with a new, young, fresh person who has the vision to move our City forward with bold ideas and a vibrant outlook for the future of our great city!!
It's time …….. Time for change in Lackawanna!
Thank you all for coming and thank you for your support. May God bless you and your families and may God bless Lackawanna.